Program Reviews

I chose Cape Town as a place to work and visit as it is a proud nation filled with wonderful nature and racial history; it did not disappoint. Stunning mountains are the backdrop to luscious beaches - climbing Table Mountain and Lion's Head is a must - combined with some amazing wildlife. The lifestyle is an outdoors one, different to back home whereby most of the time it is cold and gloomy (classic Britain), the number of outdoor activities are endless, my highlight was surfing in Muizenberg accompanied with a refreshing glass or two of beer afterward. I was immersed in some history which was sobering looking into apartheid and how the non-whites were treated: Robben island showed off the brutality the political prisoners were served with and district six encapsulated the force with which the nationalist party pushed the non-whites out of the best areas of Cape Town. The tourism here is a spectacle to embrace and throw yourself into. The internship was amazing, I got to try out cricket coaching for an extended period of time in addition to sports marketing. It gave me some clarity into the field I want to venture into and the variety of sports jobs there are out there.

I chose Cape Town as a place to work and visit as it is a proud nation filled with wonderful nature and racial history; it did not disappoint. Stunning mountains are the backdrop to luscious beaches - climbing Table Mountain and Lion's Head is a must - combined with some amazing wildlife. The lifestyle is an outdoors one, different to back home whereby most of the time it is cold and gloomy (classic Britain), the number of outdoor activities are endless, my highlight was surfing in Muizenberg accompanied with a refreshing glass or two of beer afterward. I was immersed in some history which was sobering looking into apartheid and how the non-whites were treated: Robben island showed off the brutality the political prisoners were served with and district six encapsulated the force with which the nationalist party pushed the non-whites out of the best areas of Cape Town. The tourism here is a spectacle to embrace and throw yourself into. The internship was amazing, I got to try out cricket coaching for an extended period of time in addition to sports marketing. It gave me some clarity into the field I want to venture into and the variety of sports jobs there are out there.

I chose Cape Town as the place to intern abroad because it is such a unique city surrounded by mountains and the ocean. I wanted to complete an internship in order to expand my knowledge and gain experience before entering the marketing field. Now that my internship has come to an end, I have realized the best thing about Cape Town is the people within. Every person within the VACorps program was amazing to get to know, and the locals I have met were all so sweet and welcoming. I have been here a total of three months and wish I could stay longer. I am definitely going to miss the people I have met and the stunning views the most.

VACorps has been such an amazing experience, I have learned so much real-world experience that will prepare me for when I enter the workforce soon. Not only have I learned a lot about my career, but I have also learned so much about myself. This experience really teaches you how to adapt to new situations and new cultures and make the best out of them. The weekly activities were so fun, you can really tell that the VACorps team cares about your experience. Even with the many restrictions in place due to COVID we were still able to have the most amazing adventures. I have certainly learned so much about African culture that I cannot wait to tell my family and friends about back home. The people you meet during the internship period are incredible and it's amazing to have experienced an opportunity like this one.

I had the most amazing experience with VACorps and will never forget this trip! I was able to learn about marketing through my internship and gain valuable experience and build my resume while also having more than enough time to explore all of Cape Town with the amazing friends I met here. I really enjoyed how much my internship company trusted me to make content and run different accounts, and felt I learned so much by taking on these responsibilities. I liked how personal this program is, and the VACorps staff really tried to find an internship for the experience I was hoping to gain.

I chose to go to Cape Town because I figured it was different than any other place I'd been to before and it did not disappoint. The opportunities in and around Cape Town seem to almost be limitless. There is definitely something for everyone, such as hiking, wine tours, great restaurants, museums and so much more. Coming from a suburban background, I also found it very exciting to be living in a large city like Cape Town. I thought that three months was the perfect amount of time to get a taste of what South Africa has to offer. Additionally, I will miss the friends I have made here in South Africa.

The staff at VACorps were super friendly and accommodating to people's needs. They would help solve any problems as they arose for the interns. The weekly events that were put on were always a blast! I am super grateful for all the time and energy the VACorps staff put in to make everyone's experience the best it can be.

I had an amazing experience in Cape Town through VACorps. I came in, not sure what to expect, but it exceeded my expectations. Cape Town itself was absolutely beautiful, with lots of fun activities to do. The site I attended, Haven Night Shelter in Wynberg was a great experience. The workers their were amazing, they were kind, funny and accepted me as one of their own right away. The work there was very fulfilling, knowing that I was helping people in need get back on their feet. I'm grateful for all the friends I met through VACorps as well. I became close with many of my roommates, and I will surely keep in touch with them. Overall, it was a great experience and I'm very happy that I came.

Interning in Cape Town for 2 months was the best decision of my life and I wished that I could extend my stay longer! After graduating from university with a BA Hons in Social Work I wanted the opportunity to travel whilst gaining more experience within another field that aligned with my social work values and skill set. VACorps placed me at a site where I was able to intern as an Occupational Therapist Assistant Manager. During this time I was able to build upon my managerial, professional, and personal development. This was achieved by working with a range of adults with learning disabilities and facilitating sessions, whilst maintaining a person-centered approach.

Traveling to South Africa alone seemed so daunting at first but I quickly become settled and am grateful for the easy transition when arriving. I cannot thank the program enough for the amount of support and guidance they have provided throughout my whole stay, they have been so accommodating and welcoming. By providing weekly activities, gave opportunities for the other interns to bond and make lifelong friends but also get to know the team on a personable level.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in South Africa and challenged myself to try things outside of my comfort zone including hiking, bungee jumping from the largest bridge, zip-lining, walking with elephants, and hosting our first South African "braai"!

I am so thankful for the memories made and those I was able to share them with. I would highly recommend VACorps to anyone who wants to work abroad with the support of a wonderful team behind them.

When I was looking for a program to do for the first chunk of my gap year, I knew I wanted to go someplace interesting, do something engaging, and grow as an individual. VACorps has facilitated the chance for me to do that all x100. Throughout my time in Cape Town I have learned so much about my field of interest (Human Rights), my hobbies (turns out I LOVE early morning Atlantic swims), and myself.
I came to Cape Town for three months (just under 12 weeks total) and have had the most amazing time. As someone who had been to Cape Town briefly before, I really came for the internship but had the joy of exploring the aspects of the city I hadn't seen before. Three months was the perfect time for me. I did everything I wanted (pro tip: ask the departing interns for a list of what they enjoyed most, which became my Cape Town bucket list), and had my remaining few weeks to revisit my favorite places. Exploring the markets, venturing up the mountains, and trying every type of food imaginable has been the greatest adventure.

Beyond simply being in Cape Town, I loved the balance that VACorps provides. It is so great to live with a group of interns while still having my own work to go to every day and the independence of creating my own experience. The whole-group meet-ups ~2x a week are a great way to get to continue getting to know your peers and exploring the city but don't confine yourself by taking up too much time. We have the freedom to participate in the VACorps program when we want, and also have our own experiences when we want. Additionally, the VACorps staff is incredible. Simply having someone to call is always reassuring, but the lengths Kus and Kholi and everyone on the team go through to ensure we are having a good time is wonderful (they're also just super fun to hang out with - and have photoshoots with ;) ). I am going to miss all the adventures and laughter greatly.

Overall, VAC has been one of the most liberating, engaging, and enjoyable times of my life, and I am so grateful to everyone here who made it so great. Observatory is my home, and I can't wait to come back and visit again sometime soon!

I recently graduated college with my Bachelor's in Public Health and wanted to get some experience in global health before pursuing my master's degree. I chose Cape Town because, unfortunately, they have. a high prevalence of HIV and I wanted to look at infection control. I was placed with Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation and got to learn about the clinical trials the site is doing to combat HIV and provide vaccination. Overall, I learned a lot from my internship site, the country, and the people who I met. My internship showed me that I want to pursue my master's degree in infection control and prevention. It was an amazing experience for me and I am grateful I came out here.